On April 15, 2011, a large structure fire erupted at 1345 Turnbull Canyon Road, Hacienda Heights, at the St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Two priests residing in the rectory narrowly escaped. The entire 20,000-plus square foot sanctuary was burnt to the ground along with substantial damage to the adjacent rectory. The fire raged for over six hours as Los Angeles County firefighters battled 60 to 100 foot high flames. The loss was preliminarily estimated between $10 million and $17 million dollars.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Arson and Explosives Detail (AED) immediately responded to the location and began the preliminary investigation. The fire was determined to be arson. The investigation expanded to include the Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), FBI Emergency Response Team, in addition to LASD AED. Crime Stoppers and We Tip hotlines were activated and within days of the incident, several credible leads were received.
After a year of complex investigation, Suspect Gregory Shiga was arrested on May 14, 2012 by LASD AED detectives. The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Target Crimes Deputy District Attorney R. Rose and five felony counts were filed, including Aggravated Arson Likely To Produce Great Bodily Injury With Special Allegations, Arson To An Inhabited Dwelling, Arson To A Structure, Use Of Flammable/Accelerant Incendiary Device and Burglary.
The case was presented at Pomona Superior Court and on July 9, 2013, after more than two weeks of jury trial, the jury found Shiga guilty on all five felony counts. Shiga’s sentencing date is set for July 19, 2013.
This investigation concludes a successful joint investigation by lead investigators from both the LASD AED Unit and the West Covina FBI Office.
Authored by:
Derek T. Yoshino, Sergeant
LASD/AED
323-881-7500
LADA press release is as follows:
Man Convicted of Hacienda Heights Church Arson
A 35-year-old man was found guilty today of torching St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights in 2011, causing an estimated $9 million in damage, the District Attorney’s Office announced.
Deputy District Attorney Renee Rose of the Target Crimes Division, Arson Section, said Gregory Yusuke Shiga, of Hacienda Heights, was convicted of all five counts, including aggravated arson, arson of a structure, arson of an inhabited structure, possession of flammable material and second-degree commercial burglary.
The jury deliberated less than an hour before returning the guilty verdicts, which included finding the allegations of damage in excess of $3 million, use of an accelerant and multiple buildings burned.
Shiga returns for sentencing on July 19 before Judge Thomas Falls. He’s facing up to life in state prison.
Rose said Shiga broke into the church’s sanctuary just after midnight on April 16, 2011. He saturated rolls of toilet paper with a flammable material and placed them around the inside of the church. He also used a device to saturate the structure’s walls and ceiling with an accelerant.
Shiga was arrested on May 14, 2012, in Los Angeles following a year-long investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.
CONTACT:
Jane Robison, LADA
Public Information Officer
213-974-3525
July 9, 2013
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
323-267-4800
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Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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